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Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Obama coming to Columbus to raise money for Gov. Strickland
By Jack Torry
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will deliver a speech next month in Columbus on the economy and host a fundraiser for Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Democratic Party, a White House official said today.
The official said Obama will first speak about the economy at an event on August 18, followed by a separate event for the fundraiser. The official declined to provide any details.
Obama will be making his ninth visit to Ohio since assuming office in January of 2009. In June, Obama spent 58 minutes on the ground in Columbus at an event to promote the $787 billion economic stimulus package approved last year by Congress.
Even though Strickland supported Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2008 Ohio Democratic presidential primary, his re-election is regarded as crucial for the White House. Strickland is running against former Republican congressman John Kasich.
Rob Nichols, a Kasich spokesman, said that “given the fact that the most recent Rasmussen survey shows that 54 percent of Ohioans disapprove of the job that President Obama is doing, we hope he has many Ohio trips planned between now and November.”
In its announcement, the White House made no mention of Senate Democratic candidate Lee Fisher, who is running against former Republican congressman Rob Portman.
But Lynn Bowman, Fisher’s campaign manager, said that “Lee is excited to have both President Obama and Vice President Biden helping Ohio candidates, because it helps him hold Congressman Portman accountable for his 20 years.’’
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Docs endorse Portman, quiet on guv race
The political arm of the Ohio State Medical Association is backing Republican Rob Portman for U.S. Senate over Democrat Lee Fisher but is remaining neutral in the governor’s race.
“With a strong record of supporting medical liability reform and his concerns about the recently passed federal health system reform legislation, Ohio’s physicians believe Rob Portman is the best choice for U.S. Senate,” said Dr. Marvin H. Rorick, chair of the association’s political action committee.
Rorick said the group decided to not endorse either candidate in the governor’s race — incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland or Republican challenger John Kasich.
Strickland has supported expanding access to medical care and signed legislation that helped alleviate administrative hassles in the medical field, Rorick said. Meanwhile, Kasich supported medical liability reforms and efforts to level the playing field between doctors and insurance companies, he said.
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155,000 Ohioans eligible for more unemployment checks
As many as 155,000 unemployed Ohio workers are getting word from state officials that they can again receive federal extended unemployment benefits.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services began notifying eligible Ohioans by phone, after President Obama signed legislation into law last week that extends program deadlines from May 29 to Nov. 27.
The state paid $46.8 million in extended benefits on Monday, July 26, including retroactive lump sums.
As a result of the legislation, unemployed workers can receive benefits for up to 99 weeks: 26 weeks of regular state unemployment, 53 weeks of federal extended benefits, and another 20 weeks of federally-funded state extended benefits.
